Out of the nine studio albums they have released to date, the last eight have charted on the U.S. Billboard 200, with their fifth album Ritual peaking at No. 31 in 2011, marking them as one of the most popular contemporary American extreme metal bands. Their ninth and latest album Verminous was released on April 17, 2020.
Current Line-Up:
Brian Eschbach – lead vocals (2022–present), rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2001–2022)
Ryan Knight – rhythm guitar (2022–present), lead guitar (2009–2016)
Max Lavelle – bass (2012–present)
Alan Cassidy – drums (2012–present)
Brandon Ellis – lead guitar, backing vocals (2016–present)
The Black Dahlia Murder began its inception during late 2000 and gained the final band lineup in January 2001. The group released their demo entitled "What a Horrible Night to Have a Curse", and a four-track EP, "A Cold-Blooded Epitaph", the latter of which the group released on Lovelost Records. After appearing in concerts such as the Milwaukee Metal Fest, The Black Dahlia Murder signed to Metal Blade Records in 2003.
Bassist Ryan "Bart" Williams left his former band, Detroit's Today I Wait, to tour with the Black Dahlia Murder. After touring with the band on their co-headlining gig with Throwdown and their European dates with Liar, he joined the group full-time, replacing former bassist David Lock. Frontman Trevor Strnad said that Lock was fired for incompetency. Williams was one of two engineers (the other being Walls of Jericho's Mike Hasty) on the band's first full-length album, "Unhallowed". The band then went on a tour in late 2004 supporting Unearth alongside with Terror and Remembering Never throughout the United States.
The band's second album "Miasma" was released on July 12, 2005, and peaked at No. 118 on the Billboard 200. After touring for "Miasma", drummer Zach Gibson left the band along with Pierre Langlois. While Gibson went on to join Abigail Williams, Langlois left the band for a more secure lifestyle, and the band finished their search for a replacement drummer when they found former All That Remains drummer, Shannon Lucas.
Their third album, entitled "Nocturnal", was released on September 18, 2007. The album debuted at No. 72 on the Billboard 200. Their longtime lead guitarist, John Kempainen left the band and was replaced by Ryan Knight during the beginning of 2009. In May 2009, The Black Dahlia Murder released their first DVD, "Majesty". The DVD contains a documentary and live footage from the Summer Slaughter tour and their tour supporting Children of Bodom in late 2008. The DVD also contains all of their music videos and behind the scenes footage.
The Black Dahlia Murder released Deflorate on September 15, 2009, via Metal Blade Records. The album sold 12,000 copies in the United States in the first week of the release, debuted at position No. 43 Billboard's Top 200 charts, No. 5 on Billboard's Independent Albums chart, No. 4 on Billboard's Top Hard Music Albums chart, and No. 50 on HITS Top 50 Albums chart. They toured with Children of Bodom and Skeletonwitch in support of the album. After their 2010 headlining tour with Goatwhore and Arkaik, the band began writing and recording their next full-length album.
In February 2011, The Black Dahlia Murder completed the songwriting process for their fifth studio album, entitled "Ritual". It was released on June 21, 2011, in North America.
In April 2012 during the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival on the first night performance, Trevor Strnad officially welcomed new bassist Max Lavelle into the band after former bassist Ryan Williams parted ways. On November 7, Shannon Lucas announced via a YouTube video that he would be stepping down as drummer of The Black Dahlia Murder to pursue other aspirations. Alan Cassidy of Abigail Williams filled in for Shannon's touring duties.
In early 2013, despite the news of the departure of two band members (drummer Shannon Lucas and bassist Bart Williams), plans were announced for an upcoming album release, to be entitled "Everblack". Tentative plans estimated its release to be early summer 2013; likely June. On April 10, 2013, the iTunes Store was updated with official release and availability information, including cover art, a full track listing, and an official U.S. release date of June 11, 2013. The album has 10 tracks in total. On the same day, the band's first single from "Everblack" was made available for purchase and download, titled "Into The Everblack". The album itself was then released on June 11 and peaked at No. 32 on the U.S. Billboard 200.
On November 28, 2014, The Black Dahlia Murder released a 7" EP titled Grind 'Em All featuring 3 short grindcore covers of punk rock songs: a cover of "Ripped Up" by Left for Dead, of "Rebel Without a Car" by Sedition and of "Populous" by Gyga. The covers were originally recorded almost 10 years earlier during the era of "Miasma". The EP was released as part of Record Store Day's Black Friday event via A389 Recordings (rather than the band's label, Metal Blade Records), made available for purchase on the band's online merchandise store and also streamed in its entirety via Exclaim!. The album art for Grind 'Em All was designed by Szymon Siech.
Lead guitarist Ryan Knight confirmed in early 2015 that the band will deliver a seventh studio release that year, followed by extensive touring, and that he is planning to start working on a solo album afterwards. Vocalist Trevor Strnad stated that the band's new album, titled "Abysmal", will be "more raw and natural sounding" and feature "more dynamic and developed songs" than their previous work. "Vlad, Son of the Dragon", the first song from the album, was released online on June 24, followed by "Receipt" on July 22 and "Threat Level No. 3" on August 19. "Abysmal" was produced by Mark Lewis and Ryan Williams and released worldwide through Metal Blade on September 18.In early February 2016, it was announced that Knight had left the band. He was replaced on lead guitar by Brandon Ellis of Arsis.
The band's 8th album "Nightbringers" was released on October 6, 2017, to critical and commercial acclaim, charting at 35 on the Billboard 200.
The Black Dahlia Murder released their ninth studio album, "Verminous", on April 17, 2020.
On May 11, 2022, it was announced that the band's frontman Trevor Strnad had died. While no official cause of death has been given, the phone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline was provided at the end of the statement.
On September 14, 2022, The Black Dahlia Murder announced a tribute concert taking place for Trevor Strnad on October 28 at Saint Andrew's Hall in Detroit, Michigan, supported by Darkest Hour and Plague Years. It was also announced that Brian Eschbach will be stepping down from guitar and taking over as lead vocalist as he states in an interview with Decibel Magazine; "I know Trevor would keep this band going if I went down a deep, dark path and weren’t here.". In Brian's place, Ryan Knight will be returning to the band as the rhythm guitarist.
Asylum
The Black Dahlia Murder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In institutions rotting secret mars of family shame
Bound tightly and injected
Subdued by pill regimes
Suspended animation
Pull the rug over the stain
Mistreated and molested
If we're to call them human beings why treat their lives as shit?
No chance of contribution to well-oiled society
Viewed as manure walking wastes of very air we breathe
Rejected disavowed
Buried beneath our shallow smiles
What do they mean for us and what do they deserve?
Four padded walls – their coffins
Underfunded understaffed
In a putrid squalor wallow while the rich and perfect have a laugh
Sons and daughters
Brethren and kin
Sisters and brothers from pictures are trimmed
Out of our sight, out of our minds
Where is the kindness on which this world prides?
This is the coldest song a voice could ever sing
It's destined to come out wrong
We've done the damnedest things
Oh, the humanity
Denial so disgusting
A life shackled rusting
And business is booming
We're vampires and should be ashamed
At birth found unequal
A real living freak show
Throw them in a cell and forget their existence is pain
What a shame
A shrine unto torment
To minds deemed delinquent
Place holding placation
The voiceless damnated can't scream
Can you hear them scream?
Mistreated and molested
Fed food not fit for pigs
If we're to call them human beings why treat their lives as shit?
No chance of contribution to well-oiled society
Viewed as manure walking wastes of very air we breathe
Sons and daughters
Brethren and kin
Sisters and brothers from pictures are trimmed
Out of our sight, out of our minds
Where is the kindness in our humankind?
This is the coldest song a voice could ever sing
It's destined to come out wrong
We've done the damnedest things
Oh, the humanity
The lyrics to The Black Dahlia Murder's song "Asylum" shed light on the treatment of the mentally ill in society, specifically those who have been institutionalized in mental health facilities. The song accuses society of forgetting about these individuals and labeling them as insane, causing them to be rotting secrets of family shame. The mentally ill are then subdued by pill regimes and bound tightly, suspended in animation, as society pulls the rug over the stain of mental illness.
The song further describes the inhumane treatment of the mentally ill, who are mistreated, molested, and fed food not fit for pigs. The mentally ill are viewed as manure, walking waste of the air we breathe, with no chance of contributing to a well-oiled society. The mentally ill are rejected and disavowed, buried beneath shallow smiles while they are left in four padded walls, their coffins, underfunded and understaffed. Meanwhile, the rich and perfect have a laugh.
The song calls for societal change, reminding listeners that the mentally ill are sons and daughters, brethren and kin, sisters and brothers, and not to be trimmed out of sight or out of mind. It asks where is the kindness in humankind, and how can we treat the mentally ill so inhumanely. The song is a poignant commentary on the treatment of the mentally ill in society.
Line by Line Meaning
To the ones that we’ve forgotten and labelled as insane
Referring to those individuals who have been disregarded and labeled as crazy
In institutions rotting secret mars of family shame
These individuals are confined in institutions, concealed secrets due to the shame it brings their families
Bound tightly and injected
Physically restrained and given medication to control their behavior
Subdued by pill regimes
Controlled with everyday medication treatment plans
Suspended animation
Living in a timeless, motionless state
Pull the rug over the stain
Ignoring the problem at hand and pretending it doesn't exist
Mistreated and molested
Subjected to abuse, mentally and physically
Fed food not fit for pigs
Provided inadequate food, worse than what is given to animals
If we’re to call them human beings why treat their lives as shit?
Why do we treat them so poorly if we still consider them human beings?
No chance of contribution to well-oiled society
Society doesn't give them a chance to contribute because they are considered useless
Viewed as manure walking wastes of very air we breathe
Seen as waste and useless, just taking up space
Rejected disavowed
Dismissed and turned away, without support or help
Buried beneath our shallow smiles
We hide the issue behind our superficial grins
What do they mean for us and what do they deserve?
What are they worth to us and do they deserve such treatment?
Four padded walls – their coffins
The confinement in the institutions become their prisons or graves
Underfunded understaffed
The institutions meant to help them aren't even properly financed or staffed
In a putrid squalor wallow while the rich and perfect have a laugh
They wallow in the worst conditions while the wealthy and privileged are amused
Sons and daughters
Our family and kin
Brethren and kin
Our siblings and relatives
Sisters and brothers from pictures are trimmed
Family members are erased from pictures and our memories
Out of our sight, out of our minds
Out of sight, out of mind, we forget they exist
Where is the kindness on which this world prides?
Where has the kindness the world boasts about gone?
This is the coldest song a voice could ever sing
This is a cold and harsh reality we must face
It’s destined to come out wrong
It's hard to express these issues and not everyone will understand
We’ve done the damnedest things
As a society, we've done terrible things
Oh, the humanity
Expressing sorrow and misery for humanity
Denial so disgusting
Ignorance is repulsive
A life shackled rusting
A confined and forgotten life withering away
And business is booming
Profit is being made from their suffering
We’re vampires and should be ashamed
We are taking advantage of their weakness and should be embarrassed
At birth found unequal
Since birth, they have been considered unequal and out of place in society
A real living freak show
They are seen as abnormal and forced to live as a spectacle
Throw them in a cell and forget their existence is pain
Confine them to a cell and ignore their suffering
What a shame
This is a disgraceful situation
A shrine unto torment
An institution that venerates and promotes their torment
To minds deemed delinquent
To the individuals deemed insane or crazy
Place holding placation
Maintaining the status quo and ignoring the issue
The voiceless damnated can’t scream
The silenced sufferers cannot speak out and ask for help
Can you hear them scream?
Are we listening to their cries for help?
Where is the kindness in our humankind?
Why has our humanity disappeared and we treat them with such cruelty?
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ALAN MICHAEL CASSIDY, BRIAN ESCHBACH, MAXWELL JAMES LAVELLE, RYAN DURELL KNIGHT, TREVOR STRNAD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
heyimgoingtoplaysomegames
Trevor, one of the original remaining members, is one of my favorite lyricists of all time. He started with the group singing about the traditional tropes - tearing apart entire villages in werewolf form, slaying zombies, strangling loved ones, etc...
Then he honed and perfected his craft over the years to bring us lyrical content within the framework of death metal that is so profound and emotive, it moves me to tears every time I hear it.
That's fucking good music.
Ross Bird
RIP Trevor Strnad. A legend in the metal community \m/
Michael Bouchie
Trevor's lyrics really were stepped up a notch on this album. The lyrics really make this song amazing.
Eric Gilbert
Activist death metal. There should be more of it. Kudos to Trevor and the gang.
Dwėsk
Dude this lyric video is very good, simple, yet so professionally made.
Satan Force
+Dwėsk thx
Walker Gates
I second that. The presentation here is classy as fuck. It gels really well with the subject matter without crying for attention. Good job man!
Ben Arz
Descansa en paz Trevor, esos guturales los voy a reconocer siempre🤘 :(
Erik puckett
been listening for well over a decade now. going back and buying all the re-real ease of their shirts i couldn’t afford as a kid. hands down favorite death metal band. their throne of skulls was built to last.
-Glass Caskets-
It's really cool how when he scream "what a shame" there's a real sound of agony in that part. I love this album.
Reedy_
That’s one of the most beautiful songs i know i love this band